Passion vs. Paycheck

Dr. Henry Walton Jr. on College Majors



For many students in College, making the decision of what subject they want to pursue or major in is a substantial obstacle in their study. Many students entering college are undecided at least for their first year of study, and some have trouble deciding even further on down the road. Although it is normal and common to be indecisive about study in college, it can hinder progress if the decision process takes too long. However, many students have an immediate passion for a certain subject, and know what they want to do before their first course. It takes outstanding passion for a student to know what he or she wants to do from a young age, and those who care more about what they are studying are more successful than those who are just settling for something that they don’t have passion for. Think about why you are choosing your majors; maybe Blayne’s passion will inspire you to follow yours. Stay away from Snakes.
-Indy

Blayne Telling sees herself as an author and has since she was 9 years old. When asked about her major, she merely states that, “(My) English Major isn’t a choice. It’s a destiny.” Students like Blayne that are raised to appreciate a certain subject enough to pursue it on their own are more likely to be successful and happy later in life because of their genuine interest in what they do.

Blayne’s English teachers, namely Mrs. Luna, Mrs. Coffey, and Ms. Sloan, inspired her to write a great deal throughout school. At a young age, students are eager for all the information that they can get, and Blayne’s English teachers fostered her desire for learning. But no one inspired Blayne as much as her mother did. Because of a divorce, Blayne’s mother had to take on many more responsibilities, many of which were passed to Blayne. Blayne’s mother even took on multiple jobs to make sure she could look out for her kids. But most influential to Blayne’s writing career, she made sure that Blayne’s childhood was filled with books. Blayne recalls having a bookshelf filled with books in her room even before she could read. In kindergarten, Blayne developed a reputation as the girl that read instead playing with all of the other kids. Blayne’s mother not only surrounded her with ways to learn about English, but showed her daughter how determination is necessary to reach her dreams.

Blayne’s pursuit of her writing career hasn’t been all easy though. In this economy, many students are pressured to study a subject that has a high likelihood of providing employment later in life. An English major, although not as risky as a philosophy major or a music major, doesn’t give as high of a chance for employment after college as a business major would. Blayne, like many other students in her situation, struggled to decide whether she should fearlessly follow her passion or to compromise her dreams to guarantee that she could provide for herself. But a temporary quarter life crisis can inspire meaningful catharsis. Life is a journey to find yourself, and, similarly to the work I do, X never ever marks the spot. Many come to the realization that it is necessary to take risks in order to have a purposeful life.

Blayne’s case presents a new trend in college students. Instead of scrambling to make a decision about her college major, she had the insight to realize that she has already made her decision with her previous actions. What if everyone could be inspired to finding enough courage to follow their passion as their careers? Blayne represents many young people that have decided to break away from the traditional pursuit of white-collar jobs to continue creative growth through studying the arts.